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"I'd like to check in at my place," Bruce said, "whether or not it remains viable." "As far as we can see," Max Briggs replied, "it does. We're keeping a close eye on it - it's not like it isn't pretty important. If you want to spend some time with Miss Prescott before your next assignment you have a few days." Miss Prescott. Max just being Max or what, never can tell. "Depending on what the next assigment is," Bruce said, "is there anything I should consider?" Max unbuttoned the right chest pocket of his shirt and extracted a short ball keychain with a USB stick attached and handed it to him. "Operation Nightshade," he said. "That stick is one of four copies - I'm on my way to deliver the other three." "Do the lucky winners know yet?" Bruce asked. "They will when they receive them," replied Max. "In three days I'll conference the four of you for a planning session. Don't worry about trying to figure it out - most of it won't make sense." "Got it. Seeya." He walked towards the deck as Max drove away, Julie was waiting for him. "Miss Prescott," she said. "Good old Max." "Yeah. You all right? Nothing strange happening?" "All calm. After the hit I told you about when you called it's been clear. So we've got three days." "At least," Bruce replied. "Maybe more depending on what the deal is." They went into the private den off the main living area where a light meal was laid out - a beef and vegetable stew and fresh rolls and iced tea. After eating they got drinks from the bar - brandy for Julie and bourbon for Bruce. He lit a small cigarillo while Julie smoked one of his gold-tipped cigarettes - the faint smell of cannabis from the cigarette and the taste of the infusion on the cigarillo. "Did you watch the news?" he asked later, knowing that she had. "Yes. The usual scripted outrage and Tylo making an appearance. Do they have any idea?" "They know the entry point of the feed but not the origin," Bruce replied. "And by not whey know it always moves after a contact. Whether they know or care who he is I don't know - they have bigger things to worry about." "They mostly focused on the women and children who were killed," said Julie. "As if they care about any other women and children." "Yeah," Bruce said. "But it was an enemy camp and women and children should have been somewhere safe. We destroyed the installation but that's standard procedure for them. Putting their weapons stashes in hospitals and such. The blood is on their hands." "That's pretty evil," Julie said, "but they seem an intrinsically evil people. Women and children got vaporized at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How many survivors do you suppose there were on that last operation?" "Most of them," Bruce replied. "They hosed down the buildings where the fighters were, I doubt many noncombatants were there. There were over two thousand and probably only a couple hundred were killed but the mosque is gone and they don't have the resources to rebuild. In fact they haven't built a new one in a couple of years." "The mortars are pretty cool," said Julie. "Having some airpower would be cooler. Much more efficient." "That may happen," Bruce replied. "Anything I shouldn't ask about?" "Nothing firm but obviously Atlantis is willing to provide it when it becomes practical." "They're operating here now, aren't they?" Julie asked. "They picked up the prisoner that was sprung from the west coast gulag, on the Florida coast." "As far as anyone knows. I've seen nothing official but it makes sense. Another drink?" "Sure."
It was dark when he awoke, too dark. The computer in the corner had been awakened too, the screen saver clock showing 0434. Julie was still asleep. Damn... intrusion? Can't be business... He slid off the bed without waking her, something he was good at by now. He got the Springfield XD-M from the bottom of the nightstand. Inside the house if sixteen rounds wasn't enough he probably needed to try another line of work. He was wearing pajama pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt and slid on a pair of moccasins. He stood in the darkness, listening. The clock clicked over to 0436. There. Out in the main area. Couple of lamps out there, anyone moving around much will change the light.... Like that. He leveled the pistol, pointing at the open door. A darker than black shadow entered and stopped. Bruce had moved to a corner and wouldn't be seen right away. A glint of metal, black but not black enough. "Looking for someone?" Bruce enquired. The black figure turned towards him, the katana swinging. Too soon, Bruce pumped six rounds into the approaching shadow and it dropped almost at his feet. Lucky he wasn't wearing any armor, but the last two were head shots anyway. Julie was out of bed, crouching with a pistol. "I believe we're all right," he said, "just keep an eye on the door in case this wasn't the only one." 0439. Three minutes had seemed like much longer. "Got your phone?" he asked Julie. She located it and he saw the screen illuminate "Call Central," he said. "See how soon they can get a force on the ground here." Julie called and spoke briefly. "Ten minutes max they can have a squad here," she said. "Let's sit tight," he said. "He must have been alone or we would know by now, but if he had help they might have split or be waiting." 0445. Just a few more minutes. 0448. Julie's phone chimed. "They're outside," she said. "Checking for other hostiles." "Who's in charge?" Julie asked. "Randy Watson," she said. "I know him," said Bruce. "Have him come in stop outside our room." She relayed the instructions. In a couple of minutes they heard movement. "Bruce, you and Julie all right?" "Depends," Bruce replied. "What is the capital of Minnesota?" "Doris Day," replied Randy "Cool, turn the lights on out there. We'll be out in a minute." The lights came on and Bruce and Julie went to the door. Randy Watson was standing there in black BDUs and armed to the teeth. "Nothing outside," he reported. "We're going over it good and will stay until daylight for a better look. How about your problem?" "Take a look," Bruce replied, going back into the bedroom and turning on the lights. The assassin was a small man and had fallen on his side with the left arm outstretched, the sword under him. With his foot Randy rolled him over onto his back. Only the eyes were visible but he appeared to be Causasian. "Don't guess they had any real ninjas, or whatever," Bruce said. "The blade looks authentic." Randy knelt and looked, stood up. "It does, looks old anyway. From what we've learned about these wannabe ninjas - this is the first one we've caught - is they use, some of them anyway, use antique Japanese swords. There are a few of those around, war souvenirs. "Some? How many are there?" asked Bruce. "As far as we know not many. This is the first live.... well he was alive... one we've gotten our hands on. Still it's better than what we had. We'll send him up to see what they can figure out." "I this guy was alone he did pretty well," Bruce said. "Got across the perimeter and into the house. And that's not good." "Indeed," Randy said. "This place is compromised. Too bad, it's been useful for a good while." "We can still get something out of it," said Bruce. "How's that?" "If we seem to continue using instead of immediately sanitizing and abandonig it... these people aren't real smart. I doubt they will believe their man never got here but it's possible... they might believe that we think it's safe." "Good idea. We can see how things stand on that... meanwhile... you may have to get clearance but you can probably stay here like nothing happened for a while." "Max is going to be doing a conference call in three days," Bruce said. "I would prefer to not have to move before then. I have to advise him of this anyway, I'll see what he thinks. How about we get this body removed and clean up?"
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